Customer Reviews

Frommer's Alaska 2010 (Frommer's Color Complete)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As the only state I have never visited, Alaska has been on my short list for a long time.
Generally what I look to a travel guide for is recommendations on hotels and restaurants. I have made my reservations online for many many years, looking for out of the way places and a more authentic experience. In that regard, this guide really hits the mark. Written by a Alaska native, seasoned writer of some repute and naturalist, the book is an enjoyable read and unusual, in my experience, in that it really gives you an insider's perspective. Writer Charles Wohlforth points to the most beautiful vistas and how to get there; and provides perspective on Alaska's history, it's residents (both human and wildlife,) how, when and where to approach them.
He and his team go farther than many guides in that they do not just recommend a tour or hotel, they review all of the options and explain which is best for whom. that is he covers luxury travel, economy travel, nature tours... so that you can put together an itinerary best suited to you.
The guide covers all of the things one would expect: an over view of each region and/ or city, average temperature and weather chart, a large coated pull out map as well as numerous smaller detail maps, guides to parks, tours, activities, hotels and various modes of transportation. Where he goes beyond most guides is with his knowledge of native wildlife, where to see it and how to safely approach (or conversely when to keep your distance). That said this guide would also be of interest to bird-watchers and wildlife enthusiasts in general.

The book is both comprehensive and relatively compact. Because of its dimensions, it is more portable than most books of this scope. That said I believe it is the only guide you would need (speaking as one who usually buys a comprehensive book for planning and a compact guide for actual travel).
The only downside I see to this book is that after reading it I do not know that I would be satisfied with a 7-14 day tour. Alaska is immense, rich with beautiful and unusual vistas, diverse cultural experiences and a wide variety of recreational activities as well. After reading this book I am no longer thinking about hopping a 7 day cruise from Seattle and think I'd like to spend some time on land, inland, and get to experience some of the Alaska that you do not get to see from a cruise boat (or tour bus).

Length:: 3:49 Mins

In this review, I go over different sections of the book and great additions Frommer made to Alaska's 2010 guide. As always, Frommer has come up with another hit!

Fuzzy Wuzzy's Summary:
***** Highly recommended with warm fuzzies!

This book covers visiting the state of Alaska quite thoroughly, with 45 pages devoted specifically to Denali National Park (which is of particular interest to me). The included foldout map is highly detailed and useful. It is great to see that both Frommer's and Fodor's have been increasingly adding more and more color photos to their travel guides. Previously, the DK Eyewitness Travel Guides and Apa Insight Guides had more color photos in their books, but I felt that they sometimes had too many photos at the expense of informative text. Frommer's and Fodor's use fewer color photos and more text on their pages. Thorough coverage of a state filled with beautifully wild and rugged scenery.

I have never had a problem with the written content of the Frommers guides, and Charles P. Wohlforth has a resume that makes him infinitely qualified to write book (I can even forgive that I got food poisoning from one of his recommendations - stuff happens.) But Alaska deserves color photos, lots of them. I have knocked other guides by Wohlforth like Alaska For Dummies for not having photos so I am glad that this guide starts to do the state justice.

Of course this is not a coffee table book so there are no sweeping vistas, but there is definitely enough to whet the appetite for your trip. I have never really considered myself a "Frommer's traveler" as I tend more to campsites and fishing holes, but I really appreciated an older addition I picked up a few years ago. It turned me on to a couple of restaurants that I had not known about (and yes, one left me in a tent with distended stomach and cold sweats, but like I said stuff happens.)

The book itself has very high quality paper and printing, alhtough the binding may not quite be up Job. My binding is already showing distress and it hasn't even been thrown into a backpack and hauled 2500 miles yet. One of the drawbacks of this higher quality paper is that is now weighs about as much as a brick. It's a little weighty for a backpack traveler. Also, it covers the whole state which is generally a little overkill for most visits, unless you are on the Mother-of-all Land/Sea packaged tour. It would be nice to see it cut into two guides, one for the Southeast/inside passage and another for the rest of the state.

The maps are great, and the information is great as always. I even found the outdoor adventure content worthwhile. Often that is so generalized and glossed over it is pretty much useless. This book is a great choice for planning a visit, but a little heavy for throwing in your day pack while visiting.

This follows the usual Frommer pattern, and the result is a very useful, comprehensive guide to help you plan a trip to Alaska. Many maps, directions, tips, and all the usual, of course. I also like the intro material on Alaska's political and natural history, and context setting on what Alaska is today.

I got this because I'd like to "see Alaska", but that's a little like saying "see Australia" -- it's a vast place. The "Best of Alaska" chapter at the beginning is an excellent place to start. After reading that it's easy to start thinking of multiple trips.

I have always wanted to go to Alaska, and I recently decided to stop wanting and start planning the trip. This book is an incredible resource for planning an Alaskan vacation.

One of the first things I noticed is that the author lives in Alaska. He really knows the state and had an insider's perspective on it.

The color photos are beautiful, and the book is well-designed. It is easy to read. The fold-out map is helpful for getting an overview of Alaska's geography.

Most importantly, the book is a comprehensive guide to anything and everything Alaska. There are detailed descriptions of each region, along with attractions, tours, lodging and much more. Getting around in Alaska can be more challenging than in many other places, and the author details the available options.

I can't wait to see Alaska, and with this guide to prepare me, I know my trip will be the best it can be.

Over the years I've crisscrossed lands and oceans and most times made the journey with my trusted Frommer's Guide in hand. The Frommer's Alaska 2010 is literally a book that I did not want to put down. This is one of the better guide books that I have read.

Loaded into this 628 page travelpedia are maps, photos, facts, history, eateries, parks, transportation, lodging, directory and much, much more. As a photographer I was pleased with the photographs. The points of interest photographs are well produced and obviously not from the the usual files of stock photography.

The FYI listings are on point and highlighted in yellow and green. The maps are colorful, navigable, and easy to read. Whether its visiting the gold mining towns or catching nature in all its beauty, the things to do and places to see listings go on and on.

Whether its upscale dining or the locals best kept secret, Frommer's Alaska 2010 offers a cornucopia of detailed information including the house favorites. This writing offers a good listing of Alaska's lodging options and assures the reader that they are plentiful and priced for every budget.

As I've found out through the years, each and every edition of Frommer's travel guide seems to get better. The Frommer's Alaska 2010 is no exception. It is an outstanding compilation of all that is Alaska. I highly recommend it.

After looking through this book I really hope we can make it to Alaska!! There's great tips, helpful info, color pictures. It's organized into sections which is very helpful & gives you page numbers when it refers to something that was discussed in more depth in another section. It has suggested itineraries for different kinds of travelers. I really don't know what more you could ask for in a travel guide.

A really interesting book that gives a different angle (as compare to Lonely planet or Rough guide etc...) about traveling in Alaska, the attached map is nice though not that detailed, great pictures - very good information, I recommend as a good book to study before heading up North :)

Frommer's has established its reputation for quality tourism information and this book maintains that tradition (with the gorgeous amount of Alaska photographs inside, it even improves on it).

This is a thoroughly researched and beautifully presented guide. There's no way that a visitor to Alaska could cover even a small fraction of the activities listed and, more important, "Frommer's Alaska 2010" steers you away from the "junk" (like the tourist-trappy "Native American" places) and guides you to the places--both famous and off-the-beaten trail--that are genuinely worthwhile.

Another high-quality product from Frommer's.
Highly recommended.